Podcast
ReImagining Community with Garland
Hosted by Garland Fuller · EN
"ReImagining Community with Garland" is a weekly podcast that amplifies Black and Brown voices driving social, cultural, and organizational transformation in their communities locally and globally.
Each episode explores personal journeys, pivotal moments, and actionable insights from trailblazers and changemakers across a variety of organizations.
Our mission with this podcast is to connect leaders like you to honor the past while shaping the future of changemakers.
Garland Fuller will share her experience and perspectives and also invite members of her growing community and network to join her to share their experiences and origin stories with the audience.
10episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Episode 6 - The Pivot I Was Most Afraid to Share
Jun 200:21:09Tap to summarizeMy Vegan Pivot: How Going Plant-Based Changed My Life Beyond Food (Awareness, Alignment & Intentionality) Garland Fuller shares a personal pivot she initially hesitated to discuss: becoming vegan in 2019, prompted in part by a wider conversation sparked by Billie Eilish's statement about eating meat and loving animals. She emphasizes she's not telling anyone what to eat, but explains how researching food systems and watching documentaries expanded her awareness of animal welfare, environmental impact, and health, making it impossible to "unsee" what she learned. Garland traces earlier influences—from learning about rainforest destruction tied to cattle farming to reading John Robbins' Food Revolution—and describes key shifts since going vegan: deeper empathy and values-aligned choices, a new relationship with food through gardening, seasons, and herbalism, and broader intentionality in what she consumes (media, relationships, energy), which has reshaped how she moves through the world. 00:00 The Pivot I Was Most Afraid to Share 00:04 Introduction 01:33 The Billie Eilish Spark 03:06 Why I Almost Didn't Share This 04:39 The Origin Story 08:59 Shift 1: Awareness 12:09 Shift 2: Relationship to Food 15:30 Shift 3: Consciousness 19:29 The Bigger Picture These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Episode 5 - All At Once
May 700:14:31Tap to summarizeEpisode 5 - All At Once In Episode 5, Garland Fuller shares the pivot that shaped where she is today: after thriving in a role that felt "made for her," she learned in August 2023 her position would be eliminated, while she was also juggling family responsibilities, perimenopause symptoms and medical gaslighting, and crises with close relatives. As her aunt—who felt like a second mom—became seriously ill and later passed at 86, Garland describes how grief, low energy, and brain fog made her feel like she was sleepwalking through life. She explains what helped her move forward, including morning walks in nature, seeking joy amid grief, prioritizing health with HRT, and working with an energy healer. Garland closes with reflective questions about honoring loved ones by living fully and invites viewers to connect with her through confidential discovery calls for coaching support. 00:00 Welcome to Episode Five 00:53 The Dream Role 02:35 Layoff Looming 04:02 Caregiving Pressures 05:46 Perimenopause Hits 07:23 Loss and Wake Up Call 08:16 Grief and Brain Fog 10:09 Finding Tools to Heal 12:18 Joy and Moving Forward 13:07 Final Thanks and Next Steps Welcome to this 5-part series designed for women navigating change, transition, reinvention, and intentional living. These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Episode 4 - Off the Jungle Gym
May 700:10:33Tap to summarizeOff the Jungle Gym: When the Corporate Path Isn't Yours (Episode 4) In episode four of her five-part series, Garland explains why she stopped chasing the traditional corporate "ladder" and reframed it as a "jungle gym" where careers move up, sideways, and elsewhere—requiring personal ownership and intentional choice. After spending time around executives, she realized the lifestyle, priorities, and the need to carry out top-down decisions often didn't align with who she wanted to be, even in roles that were otherwise a great fit. She shares how rejection led to redirection into consulting and teaching, sparked by earlier experiences, ad hoc coaching, and connections through her network, and how building something on her own terms felt more values-aligned. Garland challenges women—especially those pursuing executive leadership—to ask whether the path they're on truly matches what they want, how alignment feels, and to remember they can change their mind without self-judgment. 00:00 Series Recap 00:38 Off the Jungle Gym 01:40 Why Exec Life Didn't Fit 03:28 Rejection Is Redirection 04:44 Testing Consulting and Teaching 06:49 Building a Values Aligned Path 07:46 Questions for Ambitious Women 09:20 Permission to Change Your Mind 10:21 Closing and Next Episode These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Episode 3 - The Room Where It Didn't Happen
May 700:12:04Tap to summarizeThe Room Where It Didn't Happen: When Doing Everything Right Still Isn't Enough In episode three, Garland shares a "job trauma" story she calls "the room where it didn't happen," reflecting on a role where constant manager turnover, working away from headquarters, and being an outsider in a predominantly white, male-dominated environment contributed to feeling unseen and unsupported. After three to four years of raising her hand, training others, and clearly pursuing a promotion, she was devastated when it didn't happen and noticed a broader pattern of people like her not advancing; she was later placed on a performance improvement plan. Coaching helped her regain perspective, name what was happening without being gaslit, and leave with clarity rather than defeat, leading to a better-paying job within three months. She encourages viewers to recognize misalignment, consider stress leave, and reflect on why they may stay too long hoping things will change. 00:00 Welcome Back Episode Three 00:14 The Room Where It Didnt Happen 01:30 Outsider In The Workplace 03:05 Chasing The Promotion 04:44 PIP And The Wake Up Call 05:20 Getting Coached And Pivoting 06:17 Rejection Is Redirection 07:55 Name It And Leave On Terms 08:26 Gardening And Right Environment 09:06 For Anyone In Between Seasons 10:55 Reflection Questions And Goodbye Welcome to this 5-part series designed for women navigating change, transition, reinvention, and intentional living. These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Episode 2 - Table for Two
May 700:10:54Tap to summarizeEpisode 2 - Table for Two (Just Me and My Kid) Divorce With a 3-Year-Old: Starting Over, Building Your Village & Redefining Family Garland In this "Table for Two" episode, Garland shares why she married young to understand the "illusion of marriage," how she realized after seven years that she and her partner weren't values-aligned, and the exact holiday moment she consciously chose divorce. She reflects on navigating divorce with a 3-year-old, moving quickly from filing in February to living in her own apartment by July in California, and discovering her strength by redefining family rituals, routines, and traditions on her own terms. Garland challenges the stigma around single moms, framing single motherhood as protection and resilience, and describes how her mom and an "informed community" of other single moms supported her. She addresses the grief and "failure" narrative many women feel, encourages viewers that it gets better, and prompts them to identify and thank the people in their village. 00:00 Table for Two 00:20 Why I Married 01:40 Signs and Conditioning 02:22 The Divorce Moment 04:00 Filing and Moving Out 04:38 Redefining Family 05:38 Single Moms and Strength 07:09 Finding Your Village 07:57 Reframing Failure and Grief 09:14 You Will Be Okay 10:09 Thank Your Support 10:48 Closing Thanks Welcome to this 5-part series designed for women navigating change, transition, reinvention, and intentional living. These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Episode 1 - Belize or Bust
May 700:16:10Tap to summarizeThe first episode is about That One Time I Quit My Job To Travel In episode one Garland reflects on leaving a stable post-college recruiting job at a San Francisco law firm after feeling a growing heaviness in Garland's chest and questioning a monotonous future, despite having a supportive boss and a full life outside work. Wanting travel and self-discovery after years of nonstop school and work, Garland quits and goes to Belize initially planning to volunteer, but briefly consults for family, earning enough to live on before volunteering at an all-girls alternative school. There Garland teaches health, PE/dance, soccer, and career readiness, forms lasting friendships, and gains deeper cultural understanding, identity, and confidence. Garland urges viewers to listen to physical warning signs, take leaps of faith, and share their own "jump before ready" moments. 00:00 Belize or Bust Intro 00:07 Soul Searching After College 00:42 First Job and Mentorship 02:10 Burnout and Body Signals 04:27 Choosing Travel to Belize 05:16 Family Reactions and Leap 07:20 Unexpected Work Opportunity 08:43 Volunteering at Girls School 12:02 Identity and Cultural Lessons 13:53 Listen to Your Body 14:55 Leap of Faith Invitation 16:07 Closing Thanks ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call if you're ready to take the leap: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →It's Time - Pivot Series Intro
May 700:04:36Tap to summarizeIt's Time - Pivot Series Intro Garland shares her internal struggle about opening up more personally and introduces a new "transition/pivot" series for women navigating change, reinvention, or a quiet sense that something is off. She explains that pivots often happen when what you're doing isn't working anymore and moving forward may require hard choices or dismantling parts of your life. Garland emphasizes that most people have a deep inner knowing when something isn't right, but many ignore it, avoid it, or pretend it isn't happening—until it gets louder and eventually crashes down. She encourages listeners to pay attention when it's still a whisper rather than waiting for an "OMG what happened?" moment that feels far from what they planned. 00:00 Why I'm Sharing More 01:04 What Counts as a Pivot 01:53 Who This Series Is For 02:25 Values Alignment Signals 02:59 When You Know You Know 03:30 Whisper vs House on Fire 03:50 No Right Way Forward 04:06 How I'll Share These Stories 04:31 Closing Thanks and Goodbye Welcome to this 5-part series designed for women navigating change, transition, reinvention, and intentional living. These conversations are here to help you reflect, reconnect with yourself, and move forward with more clarity, courage, and alignment. If you'd like to listen to the 5 episodes, please subscribe to my newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz ✨ Book a confidential conversation/coaching call: https://tinyurl.com/3vy9vbs5 💌 Subscribe to the newsletter for reflections, resources, and future series: https://tinyurl.com/5yvxmdmz 🔔 Subscribe to the channel and share with someone who may need this too.
Transcribe →Solo ReImagining Series EP9: Higher Education as Third Spaces
Sep 3000:12:13Tap to summarizeWhat if college campuses weren't just a bridge to adulthood, but living third spaces that teach us how to belong before we carry those lessons into the wider world? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores higher education as a powerful third space where identity, connection, and transformation unfold. Drawing on her experience as both a student and adjunct professor, Garland examines how campuses can move beyond classrooms to become intentional hubs of belonging—through the people, places, and programs that shape community. Key Conversation Highlights 📊 The Loneliness Crisis Nearly 60% of college students report feeling very or extremely lonely (Harvard Youth Poll, 2022). 👥 The People Lens Students, faculty, staff, and alumni form one ecosystem—yet silos persist. How cross-disciplinary collaboration can break barriers. 🏛 The Place Lens From libraries to quads to dorm lounges, everyday spaces can be transformed into intentional third spaces. 📚 The Program Lens Lectures, student clubs, peer mentoring, activism, and interdisciplinary projects as living laboratories for identity and connection. 💡 Campus as Microcosm Why higher ed is one of the last curated environments where belonging can be practiced, tested, and carried into the real world. Reflection Prompt What third spaces shaped your higher education journey—and how did they prepare you for life beyond campus? Connect & Keep the Conversation Going 👉 Share this episode with an educator or campus leader who cares about belonging. 👉 Invite Garland to facilitate, speak, or design for your institution: garlandfuller.com Stay Inspired "Higher education is more than a classroom—it's a laboratory for belonging." — Garland Fuller
Transcribe →Solo ReImagining Series EP8: ERG as Hidden Third Spaces
Sep 3000:18:12Tap to summarizeWhat if the most powerful space at work isn't in the boardroom or the break room, but in an employee resource group over lunch, during a heritage celebration, or even in a Slack channel? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) as hidden third spaces that cultivate connection, flatten hierarchies, and build belonging inside organizations. From women's circles and cultural affinity groups to caregiving networks and next-gen cohorts, Garland reveals how ERGs function as more than just side initiatives—they are grassroots engines of inclusion, leadership development, and retention. Drawing on years of experience supporting ERGs, plus the People–Place–Program framework, this episode reimagines how organizations can unlock the true potential of these underutilized spaces. Key Conversation Highlights The Hidden Third Space Why ERGs are more than "extras" and how they serve as lifelines of visibility and belonging for employees. A Personal Journey From participant to ERG leader to advisor—lessons learned about governance, allyship, and grassroots organizing. The Data Gap 90% of Fortune 500 companies have ERGs, yet only 8% of employees regularly participate (Great Place to Work, 2022). What that means for culture and engagement. The People Lens ERGs flatten hierarchy, connect employees across roles, and give underrepresented voices the chance to lead. The Place Lens Conference rooms, digital platforms, parades, and volunteer projects—all the ways ERGs carve out micro third spaces. The Program Lens How mentorship pipelines, speaker series, and cultural celebrations transform ERGs from potluck gatherings into engines for growth. Allyship in Action Why joining an ERG outside of your identity group can deepen empathy, activate upstanders, and strengthen community. ERGs as Culture Shapers How well-resourced, well-led ERGs can drive retention, build equity, and shape organizational culture for the better. Reflection Prompt If you're in an ERG, what's the one thing you wish leadership understood about your impact? If you're not, how might you show up as an ally or champion for an ERG in your workplace? Connect & Keep the Conversation Going What's your most meaningful ERG experience—or what's holding you back from joining one? Share your reflections in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn. 👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com 👉 Book Garland to facilitate, design, or consult with your ERGs: info@garlandfuller.com Stay Inspired "Employee Resource Groups are the unsung third spaces inside organizations—small communities that make large workplaces feel human." — Garland Fuller Building legacies, together.
Transcribe →SoloReImagining Series EP7: Arts and Culture Third Spaces
Sep 2600:14:17Tap to summarizeWhat if the gallery, the stage, or the mural on your street corner became our new town square? In this solo episode of Reimagining Community, Garland Fuller explores arts and culture spaces as powerful third spaces that spark creativity, foster belonging, and even strengthen civic engagement. From theater and visual arts to dance, film, and public murals, Garland shares how arts and culture function as more than decoration—they are infrastructure for belonging. These spaces invite us to feel, imagine, and connect beyond background or identity. Drawing from personal experience and the People–Place–Program framework, this episode reimagines how arts and culture can democratize community and activate collective change. Key Conversation Highlights Art as Belonging, Not Decoration Why arts and culture spaces are essential for emotional connection, creativity, and perspective—not just "extras." A Personal Journey How theater, dance, and visual arts became sources of joy, inspiration, and family connection. Civic Engagement Through Art Why people who attend arts events are 56% more likely to volunteer and 27% more likely to vote (NEA Civic Engagement Report). The People Lens Artists as truth-tellers, audiences as participants, and the role of "shadow artists" in sustaining community. The Place Lens From galleries and theaters to street corners and cafés—any space can be activated as an arts and culture third space. The Program Lens How festivals, open mics, book clubs, and even dance flash mobs create access, joy, and intersection. Arts & Culture as Resistance Echoing Nina Simone and Toni Morrison: in times of crisis, artists reflect truth, inspire action, and remind us we're not alone. Reflection Prompt When was the last time art made you feel less alone? Connect & Keep the Conversation Going What's your favorite arts and culture third space—and why does it matter to you? Share your reflections in the comments or tag Garland on LinkedIn. 👉 Explore the Community Impact Collective and join the newsletter: garlandfuller.com 👉 Book Garland to facilitate, design, or speak with your arts & culture organization: info@garlandfuller.com Stay Inspired "Art is not decoration. It's an infrastructure for belonging." — Garland Fuller Building legacies, together.
Transcribe →