Podcast
Rotary Voices
Hosted by Rotary magazine · EN
The Rotary Voices podcast features in-depth interviews with thought leaders, Rotary news updates, and immersive stories from Rotary magazine. Learn more about Rotary International, and how to participate in Rotary clubs at https://rotary.org.
37episodes
Episodes
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Intersection to Care: Part 1
1w ago00:32:46Summary readyInside a jail in Kansas, USA, victims of human trafficking struggle to find a way forward. Rotary International editor Etelka Lehoczky meets incarcerated women who are rebuilding their lives with the help of Intersection to Care, a unique program funded by The Rotary Foundation. Along the way, she realizes her assumptions about incarceration were very different from the reality.
SummaryMalala Yousafzai Finds Her Way
3w ago00:29:51Summary readyMalala Yousafzai, the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate, shares her journey of self-discovery in a new memoir titled Finding My Way. At just 15 years old, Yousafzai was thrust onto the public stage after the Taliban's attack on her life — a failed effort to silence the young activist. Today, she continues her work of empowering and educating girls around the world through her nonprofit, Malala Fund. The senior producer and host of Taiwan Talks, Yin Khvat, sits down with Yousafzai to discuss mental health, identity, and her activism.
SummaryCreate Lasting Impact with Olayinka Hakeem Babalola
Jul 100:29:18Summary readyJuly marks the beginning of a new Rotary year. Among transitioning leadership across the Rotary world, Olayinka “Yinka” Hakeem Babalola is stepping into office as the 2026-27 Rotary International president. Rotary’s General Secretary and CEO John Hewko sits down with Yinka to discuss polio eradication in Africa, Rotary membership opportunities, and his personal journey to Rotary.
SummaryMedical Moonshots: Fighting Cervical Cancer with Dr. Richard Godfrey
May 1900:34:58Summary readyCervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally, but it’s also highly preventable. Rotarian, surgical oncologist, and author Dr. Richard Godfrey has traveled the world making cervical cancer prevention more accessible. His forthcoming book, Medical Moonshots: Winning the Cancer War, talks about his lifesaving work. Niala Boodhoo recently sat down with Dr. Godfrey to discuss his career, cervical cancer, and Rotary’s work to eliminate it.
SummaryThe Ripple Effect: Dragon Boats Bring a Community Together
May 100:20:58Summary readyIn 1996, the Rotary Club of Stratford in Ontario took a more than 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition and turned it into a fundraising event that has raised well over $1 million for the club and its projects. Last year, Craig Thompson directed a documentary called The Ripple Effect that highlights the community impact of the Stratford Rotary Dragon Boat Festival. Chicago journalist Jerome McDonnell sits down with Craig and club president Dan Kane to discuss the festival and its history.Contact action@ballinran.com to screen The Ripple Effect at your club!
SummaryA Membership Success Story: How This Georgia Club Keeps Growing
Apr 900:30:26Summary readyThe Rotary Club of Roswell, Georgia, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary, is growing rapidly. In this episode, Tom Gump, chair of the Rotary International Membership Growth Committee, and Jose Gonzalez, supervisor of Membership Growth & Experience in the U.S. and Canada, sit down with Trummie Lee Patrick III, the club’s president, to discuss the club’s secrets to success, membership retention, and club culture.
SummaryDr. Marc Schulz: Lessons from the World’s Longest Happiness Study
Apr 100:37:32Summary readyDr. Marc Schulz and his co-author Dr. Robert Waldinger lead the Harvard Study of Adult Development: ongoing research into the psychosocial predictors of healthy aging that began in 1938. In 2023, Dr. Schulz and Dr. Waldinger published The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. Chicago broadcast journalist Jerome McDonnell sits down with Dr. Schulz to discuss the study’s origins, its evolving methods, and the importance of social connection.
SummarySongwriter David LaMotte: Harmony in Action
Mar 1100:39:41Summary readyDavid LaMotte is a songwriter, speaker, author, and activist who has performed over 3,500 concerts and released 13 albums. LaMotte was a Rotary Peace Fellow at the University of Queensland in Australia where he studied international relations, peace, and conflict resolution. Rotary International social media and audience development manager Andy Sternberg sits down with LaMotte to discuss the intersection of art and activism.David LaMotte at the 2025 Rotary International Convention: youtu.be/EstQHD92eo0?si=sga3caJebjW6XQPZDavid LaMotte’s TEDx talk: www.davidlamotte.com/tedx/Let’s Be Neighbors: www.letsbeneighbors.org/
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A Bride Too Soon
Mar 200:21:52Summary readyThe survivor of an abusive arranged marriage, Fraidy Reiss wants to ensure that other girls never suffer the same ordeal. In 2011, Reiss founded Unchained at Last, an activist group that works to end forced marriage and child marriage in the United States. This story by Chicago journalist Elly Fishman appeared in the October 2024 issue of Rotary magazine. This audio version of her story is narrated by Linda Yu.
SummaryRashmi Rustagi: A Ray of Light
Jan 2800:28:08Summary readyGrowing up in Lucknow, India, Rashmi Rustagi was a member of Rotaract and acted in radio plays. After moving to the Bay Area in the United States, she joined a local Indian theater and then began a demanding transition into Hollywood. In California, Rustagi was invited to join the Rotary Club of Redwood City, where she’s a member today. Chicago journalist Linda Yu sat down with Rustagi to discuss her life, career in movies and her efforts to empower women and girls in a new feature film: Designed by Preeti.
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