Facts and statistics have so far failed to get humans to change our behavior to address the climate crisis. But can beauty? In this episode, host Michael Hernandez talks with marine biologist Jonny Reid about the importance of noticing, and how the beauty of the world may just save us–if we make time and space to do so. This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Maybe you’ve tried (and failed) to take photos–of a concert, a skyscraper, or the Grand Canyon–that truly captures the immensity of the object or experience. In this episode, host Michael Hernandez talks with National Geographic photographer Susan Seubert about the limits of photography, especially when trying to convey something as vast as Antarctica, yet at the same time, emphasizing the importance of the photographic record of the impact on animals and the continent brought about by climate change. In a surprising side conversation, Susan also shares what it’s like to be a woman in a male-dominated job, and how the opportunities for work and acknowledgements have changed as she ages.   This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

While we often assume that Antarctica is an untouched, pristine continent, there is actually a long history of exploration and research–and yes, exploitation–of Antarctica. On an expedition to the Great White Continent, host Michael Hernandez visits the British research station at Port Lockroy, now operated by the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust, which the busiest tourist attraction on the continent, visited by over 18,000 people each year. Michael talks with Base Leader Lucy Bruzzone, who led an all-female staff this season, about what we can learn from the past and how it can help us make good decisions about our relationship to the natural world moving forward. This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Wildfires, hurricanes, and droughts caused by climate change are finally starting to get our attention in mainstream media and the public consciousness. But these changes in climate are even more extreme in Antarctica, a fragile and diverse ecosystem that the entire planet relies upon, even more than the Amazon rainforests. But what can we DO about it? While in Antarctica, host Michael Hernandez talks with climate scientist and naturalist Zachary Brown about what–and WHO–is behind the climate crisis, and some surprising and unexpected solutions. This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Each of us has to decide which battles are worth fighting. After speaking with Chilean journalist and naturalist while on expedition to Antarctica, host Michael Hernandez discovers what it means to defend--rather than "protect"--Antarctica, and by extension, the rest of the planet. This episode was produced as part of Michael's Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship.

Join host Michael Hernandez as he kicks off Season 4 to get a glimpse of life at the bottom of the world, and insights about his expedition to Antarctica as part of his Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship. See episode notes and resources at www.changethenarrative.net

Sometimes words just don't cut it—especially when you’re making fun of the president. That’s where Lalo Alcaraz comes in. I sat down with the Pulitzer recognized, Herb Block-winning editorial cartoonist about visual storytelling, taking on corrupt politicians, taking heat from haters, and how working with Pixar got him accused of selling out. And: What happens when you call BS in a world of extremists and replacement theory nuts?

Whose story gets told and how do the stories we hear affect our understanding of the world and other people? What if we reclaimed the stories of our families and culture, and used story as a way to build empathy? In this episode, I talk with James Beard and Telly award-winning writer, director and producer, Erick Galindo, about his work at the New York Times and LA Taco, his podcasts WILD, and Idolo: The Ballad of Chalino Sanchez, and his upcoming TV show for CBS, Mexican Beverly Hills. Erick shares his ideas about what makes for a good story, and the importance of representation in media. (Don’t miss the part where we compare his true crime podcast to Rashomon!)

Throughout this season of the podcast I’ve been talking with storytellers about their craft, and the potential they have to make positive change in the world.  Now that we’re struggling to get access to reliable facts about COVID, climate change, and even our own history, it seems like it's time to change the narrative of how we develop knowledge, and ask ourselves: who owns a story and who gets access to them? In this episode, I talk with Catherine Stihler, CEO of Creative Commons, about the importance of open source resources, and developing licenses that allow for sharing of information while protecting the intellectual property of researchers, artists, and writers.

Maybe you made mix tapes in high school. Or maybe you make Spotify playlists for your boo. But what goes into curating a good musical story, and can it actually help us to think of ourselves and the world differently? In this episode, jazz advocate and KCRW DJ LeRoy Downs (AKA The Jazz Cat) shares secrets about how he performs for radio audiences around the world, how to balance the avant garde with popular taste, and how he crafts sonic stories that vibrate through our bodies and minds.