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John
Hey, I'm John.
Becky
And I'm Becky.
John
And this is the We Are for Good podcast.
Becky
Nonprofits are faced with more challenges to accomplish their missions and the growing pressure to do more, raise more, and be more for the causes that improve our world.
John
We're here to learn with you from some of the best in the industry, bringing the most innovative ideas, inspirational stories, all to create an impact uprising.
Becky
So welcome to the good community. We're nonprofit professionals, philanthropists, world changers, and rabid fans who are striving to bring a little more goodness into the world.
John
So let's get started. Becky, how are you handling this right now?
Bellamy Young
I'm.
Becky
I'm not handling it well because people say, like, don't meet your heroes, but I just kind of met one of my heroes from Scandal, and she cares so deeply about the world and about women and children. So, yes, I'm geeking out just a little bit.
John
Yeah, friends, I mean, buckle up. It is a huge honor to have Bellamy Young on the podcast today. You probably know her from her roles in Scandal, Prodigal Son, Promised Land. I could keep going on, but also, she is an ambassador. Ambassador for care. And we are going to double click on her story around there. Back in 2019, Bellamy took this transformative trip with CARE to learn about their projects in Rwanda. And among the many notable encounters, she met a farmer named Bridget who transformed her life by joining a CARE savings group and becoming an entrepreneur. And I just gotta pause. If you're not familiar with the work of care, like, stop what you're doing. Go check out this organization that's impacting millions of lives around the world through critical healthcare, nutrition, food, clean water, and protection from violence for women and girls. But Bellamy, you know, this captured her heart, and it began her journey of supporting and working with CARE. But now, as a CARE ambassador, she is a member of CARE's Global Advisory Council, and she is here to share about this exciting project launching a new limited podcast series. You know, we love the podcast. Helps leads with care. Bellamy, what an honor to have you in our house. Welcome to the podcast.
Bellamy Young
It is my joy. Thank you guys for everything that you do. I'm so grateful to be here with you today, but also just truly grateful for the way you lift all the voices in this space up and how you really give us all actionable ideas about how to move forward together.
John
Oh, my gosh. Thank you. And I mean, Bellamy just was at the Today show. She drives over to get on the podcast.
Becky
Totally was on the Today show.
John
Today we're gonna mix this up a little bit because we love getting to know the humans behind this work. And I think a lot of people are familiar with your work, but we want to hear about you as the human growing up. Like, what were some formative experiences maybe growing up that's connected the dots in the work that you're doing today?
Bellamy Young
Oh, my gosh. What a beautiful question. And we'll find the answer together, because I can't say that I would know it right now when I'm starting to talk. I grew up great, right? I grew up in Asheville, North Carolina, in the mountains. Western North Carolina. So beautiful. I was in foster care for a little while and then adopted into a family. And bless my parents, because they got some truly bogus information about my birth parents and tried to give me all these opportunities. They thought, you know, oh, your mother was a singer, and she loved to sew. And so I was so Pretty in Pink in high school, and I was in all the pageants and, you know, sang at church and did all the things. I have met my birth parents. And, no, she does not sing. And, no, she does not. So we got just, like, somebody else's information. So I feel like I got to stumble into a life that I love so much, y'all. I feel so grateful. You know, that whole new adage of you never work a day in your life if you love what you do, and. And that's never proved more true than in my short stint on this planet, so. And I feel like. Thank you for, like. And scandal. I liked it, too.
Becky
So good. And that, really, I'm not surprised. You're supporting strong women. You've been representing them on screen for years.
Bellamy Young
Honey, that was a big act. As if. That was seven seasons of act. As if. Because I am a non confrontational. But Mellie has no problem. But I didn't. Like, I had been very afraid, I think, of engaging in the world in any, you know, what could in any way, be construed as contrarian until that job. And that job really made me understand that democracy's a verb, that life requires participation, and also was kind enough to make it so that somebody would talk to me. You know, like, if somebody would have a conversation like this and we could try and stumble forward together and leave this planet a little better than we found it.
Becky
I mean, you loved her as an actress, but do you not just love her more as a human? Like, I just think you're so real and authentic. Thank you for sharing that personal story about growing up, because, like, I can just See little bellamy in the Molly Ringwald pink dress, like, like totally, like, getting her little sewing kit out, like, making it happen. But I, I feel your heart so much in what you say. And I know even, even watching you when we're talking about CARE in your intro, like there's, there's a softness to you, and it's clear you love this organization so much. And so tell, tell the audience who maybe has never heard of care. Tell us a little bit more about, like, who they are and tell us how you first got involved and sort of the impact this organization's making worldwide.
Bellamy Young
Well, the amazing thing about care is everybody knows care because 80 years ago, after the war, the Second World War, people came together and they thought, oh my goodness, everybody in Europe is really hurting. What can we do to alleviate their pain in any way we can? And the CARE package was created and it is really, this whole organization is born out of people's hearts just wanting to connect and help anyone they can in any way they can. And from that, a whole organization has grown. That's a very bespoke. They still do the same things. They go into a local community, they assess what need might be around by asking the people who live there. They hire the people who live there to help them create a rubric and a structure that can allow for transformational change. And they really, their end goal is their own obsolescence. They just want to help people thrive. And it, it just speaks to the fact that we can all do so much by just helping a little. Like sometimes we all just need a little bit of a leg up and we can do the rest on our own. We can run the race, but we need that help initially. And we'll all be on that side of equation. We will all need help, and we will all be able to give help care. What I love is that they focus on women and girls because they, you know, they've got the data, they've got them done all the empirical number numbers, and when you lift up women and girls, they bring their families and their communities with them. So it causes change within a whole region when you do that sort of work. And it, it just always spoke to me that, that teach a man to fish kind of ethos.
Becky
Yes.
Bellamy Young
Because it really, it reminds us what we're each capable of on our own, but that we all need each other to be able to reach our highest goals and highest good.
John
Yeah. I mean, there's so much dignity and so much empowerment in that. And it's like, I love that it traces back to what a CARE package means. I mean, there's. That's such a weighted phrase, and it means something when you just say that out loud. And that's the hope that I guess has been there for so many years, and I didn't even know it was there. Like, that's so beautiful.
Bellamy Young
I know. It moves me every time because it's just the act of love. I'll give what I can to make you feel better.
John
Yeah. So beautiful. Well, I mean, I love that you are launching this incredible project with care. Honestly, it couldn't be happening at a better time because I feel like we're all looking for the uplift. We're looking for hope and stories of hope. And so your series, she leads with care. I'd love for you to kind of tone set about, how did it come about? And, like, what can we expect through it?
Bellamy Young
Well, it took a. It took a beat. This came about during COVID I felt very isolated, very alone, very disempowered. And I was realizing that I was turning anywhere to look for hope, to look for connection and care. These stories have always moved me so much. The way these women change their lives and then turn around and bring somebody else up next, and the ripple effect and the power of that. And I thought, oh, my God, Gosh, why wouldn't everybody want to know about this work? And they can participate if they're able in any way they can. Advocacy or volunteer or donation, or they can get involved themselves. And also, right now, we just need to remember that change is possible, that we can make a difference in each other's lives and that we're all connected. And so I pitched it to Michelle Nunn. Sweet, wonderful Michelle Nunn. I mean, what a human, what a leader, what a big heart. She's the president of care and hi, Michelle. She was down with it. And it's taken us a couple of years because they had me at the helm, so that I'm a bit of a novice in this space. There was a big learning curve there. And also doing a podcast in multiple languages. There's a lot to learn about that. Doing a podcast globally where you need to ship equipment and find wi fi and they're just. Logistically, there was a bit of a lift in that regard from, you know, the innocent dream that I was like, let's tell these stories. But my amazing team at CARE and Sunshine Sacks, also, like, we all were equally committed to these women's stories. Getting out in the world so that everybody else could warm themselves in their sun.
John
Taking a quick Pause from today's episode to thank our sponsor, Jitasa.
Becky
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John
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Becky
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John
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Becky
Now let's get back to this impactful conversation. It's funny, you talk about warm yourselves in their sun. I just keep thinking that, like, storytelling is this way for us to plant roots, you know, under whose shade, like, we'll never sit in. It's like we, we need to understand how to get rooted somebody else's story, how to feel changed by that. And I, I'm just deeply curious about this because I can tell that you are one of these heartwired humans that when you hear something, it just moves you deeply. Like, what was this process like? Like, are you sitting down with another woman or a girl from another country? And what is the experience like for you on the receiving end? I know you're kind of probably moderating and guiding these questions, but how did that feel to you? What did you experience?
Bellamy Young
It was humbling and thrilling and always, I mean, I always, I cried like three times every interview just to just so moved, you know, I get it truly right?
Becky
Truly.
Bellamy Young
And so grateful to be having the conversations for it to be the 21st century, where that's even possible. Like, just the tech alone of it, because I'm a very 20th century human. I am like pens and papers and, you know, horse and buggies. But it was phenomenal. I do, I try to do a bunch of research. So I. Because I feel like, first of all, that's the only respectful way to engage. I want to know, you know, all about coffee making in Vietnam so that I can have a conversation with Ben about both growth and production and marketing and distribution. You know, I want to carry my own weight. You know, I want to learn about, you know, women and land rights in Nepal and, you know, what the social norms are in Jordan. So I can understand what it means that Raida has become a plumber there, that she's a female plumber, you know, so you want to make sure. I wanted to make sure that there was deep context so that the conversation could go anywhere. And always the thing that got me the most, to be honest, was that the conversations go in the same place because we, we're all just humans and it doesn't matter how different our circumstances may be. We need and want and dream and hope and hurt and heal in all the same ways. And I think that's always what the. When I, you know, clicked off of Riverside, like had to just sort of sit and take the enormity in. Yeah. Off. I didn't quite my. So my sweet. My sweet English teacher mother just turned over in her grave. If she had to diagram that sentence, she would just kill me. But it always just was so humbling to be able to speak to a wonder like Lillian and Tanzania, have a conversation that's so filled with love in itself and education and inspiration. A, to be able to have done it at all and then B, to know that, yeah, Tanzania, upstate New York, you know, we're just humans. We're all the same animal.
Becky
That's it.
John
I mean, I feel a kinship with you because not only from just time spending traveling where I think opens up your eyes to this, but Becky and I, you know, this is like our 600th ish episode. And the people we are at the beginning to where we're at now, of just walking in open handed to conversations like, you can't not be changed by that. And you gotta think like, what a superpower that I left on my. On the table for too long of my life of not just getting in dialogue with people about what are their pains, what are their dreams, what are their hopes. Like there's such a connectedness when we get below the surface. And I love that you're lifting that because we feel that too in our conversations.
Bellamy Young
And you can do it at the store.
Becky
Do you know, we just forget we all have shared humanity everywhere we go.
Bellamy Young
It's whether my sweet husband is aces at that. And always is my, my reminder because I'll get on my telephone or I'll like be messing with my dog or, you know, like, whatever. I'll tune out. It's New York. I'm a New Yorker. But. But he, you know, we have the most wonderful adventures because he's going to speak to the person beside us or in front of us or you know, ask a question that I did wonder but would never have broken the barrier. But then, then that's when the magic happens.
Becky
Yeah, I agree. And Pedro, that's the second time she said something kind about you. So just know she's speaking real big love about you on this or I'm.
Bellamy Young
Having to take out of a big hole. It's one or the other.
Becky
I'll let you guys work that out.
John
I mean, we want to talk about advocacy in this conversation too. So I wonder if you'd table set that by like, what are some of the challenges that you have been awakened to in these conversations? Like, what are some of the triumphs and maybe challenges? Because we do want to be global citizens and be aware of what our friends and our neighbors are experiencing. And there are things from those conversations you're like, and this is a universal challenge that I think most people are not aware of. That you could lift.
Bellamy Young
Not aware of is the only part of that question that I, I think people are more aware than we realize. So I'm not sure that I have any secrets to reveal about what is needed in this world, like kindness and love and equ and access to the marketplace and sometimes just being remembered or just being respected as a human. But I think through this lens, particularly with everyone that I have spoken to for the podcast, gender equity is still just. There's just a grievous discrepancy. And that plays out in access to, I think first and foremost about how women in Tanzania, for example, you can't. And so many other places you can't get alone if you're a woman without a man signing for it. So many of the village savings and loan success stories, personal transformations, all of that have just come out of just giving women access, just access. And it's access to their own money that they come together and share and support each other's dreams and get a little back and then support my dreams. And we all go and we take our turns, but it's not having institutional support, having to create that for yourself, or access to woman's access to education, hygiene, health care. That's. I mean, but again I say it's not like I'm revealing any secrets at all when I talk about that. But I think what we were just talking about, oddly, is also the other side of the coin is people's people who are privileged to be safe and have enough and be connected people forgetting or feeling friction against engaging. I think that's the other non secret secret is just that we all do make A difference. And our engagement does make a difference. You think you. You don't matter, or somebody else will handle it, or. How much can I help? Every bit aggregates. And more than ever, I feel like it is time to reach a handout in every direction, just if only to clasp it in support of a brother, a sister, a stranger. More than ever, I think we have to not be walking down the street messing with our dog and on our phone. More than ever, we need to pay attention to the person who's walking beside us. And, you know, they always say you can't know what somebody else is going through, but you can if you ask.
Becky
I just think there are some themes here that have resonance. And I don't care who you are, what your lived experience is, where you are in the world. I think this accessibility piece is such a barrier for so many people, whether it's accessibility to education or to economic stability. I mean, I think about. John has three daughters. I have two daughters. It's like this issue for the world that we're setting up for our girls and for our. All of our kids. We want them to navigate through a kinder, more just and humane world. And it's like if we as adults can go back to that and figure out and kind of look around and say, where is my agency? What do I have? Do I have access to power? Do I have access to funding? Do I have access to a network who could open something up? And I love just the. The metaphor and the visual of, to Bellamy's point, just hold their hand. Just hold their hand and let them know they're not alone. Right now, we're seeing such isolation as we're in the most connected time we've ever had. And I feel like Kevin Adler talked about this when he came onto the podcast with Miracle Messages, and he said, we are literally in relational poverty right now, and a way that we can come together is by helping one another. It's going to heal us. It's going to heal the person on the back end. And so I really feel like you're onto something, Bellamy. And I. And I keep hearing this, like, activation component to it. And I thank you for just talking about your agency and feeling like you kind of felt yourself standing on the sidelines and didn't want to ruffle feathers. But when you stepped up into that work, I want you to talk about the shift that you felt when you chose to kind of lean in, whether that's in your hurricane recovery efforts in Asheville, to reproductive justice, which I am also a Very big proponent of, like, talk to our audience about. About that. And what would you share to someone who's feeling that nudge to kind of step forward but has felt very much pulled back in it for most of their life?
Bellamy Young
I would, of course, encourage them to delight in that impulse they're feeling and to follow it, to hear. I mean, I've been on meditating, too, because I. My brain is so loud. It's just so loud. But my heart has a lot more sense. You know, my brain is like, I know everything, and my brain is like, no. So, like, meditation always gets a clearer answer for me. So if someone has the impulse, but like, a bit of a paralysis around what direction to go in, I always feel like your heart knows the answer. And there is abundant need in all directions for your gift and what you can do. And it's in you for a reason. And it's, you know, somewhere between silly and against divine grace to not let what's inside you out. I will also say that for people that are natured, like me, which is nervous about everything and overthinking and afraid to ruffle feathers, it has not gotten easier for me. It just remains rewarding. It is the thing that gives me the deepest joy. Ironically, even though I get nervous about, you know, somebody can be mad at me or, you know, we have. We're, you know, the winds are changing, and so, you know, is this for, you know, is this okay to say, or is that okay to do? But again, I just keep coming back to my heart. And my heart knows what I'm here for, like, in what way to be of service. And so I try to be humble and do what my heart tells me. And always at the end of the day, if those are the footsteps I've walked in, I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude that I got to be alive today and be of service and maybe help a little. Like I, you know, no one gets out alive. So I want to. I want to. I want my time here to be useful. I want it to be good for something. And I love acting, and it is so much fun. And when I have a job like that, too, oh, I thrill and I delight. And also in the wee hours of the night, it's when I've spent a day having a conversation like this or gotten to lift up the work that care or a woman involved with care has done or any kind of advocacy, those are the nights that I feel the warmest and the calmest and the clearest and the most grateful.
Becky
Okay. You know, John, that This listening audience is feeling all kinds of jelly for care. They're feeling so jealous that CARE gets to work with Bellamy. Because I do think what you were saying is we talked about this a lot last year, you know, in terms of, like, how we can scale, influence, and impact and how do you find people to amplify and their influence. And I think that you're doing it with such conviction and you're going back to your values as the grounding point for how you align and connect and act. And it is straight from the center. And please, nonprofits, go find a Bellamy type someone to amplify your mission. And I know there's only one of you, but I do think that you are lifting a bigger conversation for care, for women, for girls, for equality. It's not just in this one lane. I really am excited about this podcast because I feel like it's going to have tentacles in a lot of different areas.
Bellamy Young
I really hope. I hope people listen and enjoy and get. Feel all the feels that I feel. And at the end of the day, remember that they can also be agents of change. Right. It's incredible what these women have done. It's incredible what CARE does every day, all around the globe. And also, we can all do it in our own ways. Every moment of every day. It's a choice we have.
John
Becky and I are nominating ourselves as fan club president and vice president.
Becky
Yeah. Oklahoma chapter. I got it right here.
Bellamy Young
I got Oklahoma, and I've got the road.
Becky
Look at this. You've got South Carolina this week, so it's great.
John
My friend, I have a question. What inspires you? I mean, you have got a lot of passions. Where do you really find inspiration in this moment?
Bellamy Young
What melts me, like, undoes me, is kindness. It can happen anywhere, anytime. Just people being kind to people. That's really. I wish it were something more interesting or I had a better story, but that is. That is true. Like, and that's always been true. Like, the. Even as a kid, like, watching commercials or something. I will. I am. That I will cry if someone is doing some kindness in a commercial. I will be like, Proctor and Gamble.
Becky
The Olympic commercials every time.
Bellamy Young
Even, like somebody helping somebody get their bag down the subway stairs, you know, like, it just makes me feel like it might be okay, you know, that we might make it through because we're connecting with each other. I. It's everything. It's everything to me. Yeah.
Becky
I'm a big proponent of people being just kind, and I love that we're connected on this love of Storytelling that we have. And I want to give you the mic and ask you about a time when philanthropy, kindness, maybe generosity, where you had a moment in your life where philanthropy or kindness came in and it just profoundly changed you. Can you share a story of a time that's happened?
Bellamy Young
Yeah, no, I surely can. I mean, I can share. We can be here forever. How long have we got? Eight hours.
Becky
Let's go. This will be great.
Bellamy Young
Do it. Order pizza, everybody. We're going to do this.
Becky
Going deep.
Bellamy Young
How great would that be if we did, like, a kindness telethon? I'm sort of here for that.
Becky
From your lips. Sidebar to, like, yes, thunder, come find us. We would love to do that.
Bellamy Young
I am I. The one that pops immediately into my head is I was very lucky to go to Yale. I thought I was going to be a physics major. Turns out I'm not that good at physics, but I was English in theater, and it was all good, and I had a great time. And, you know, they. They meet demonstrated financial needs. So I was able to go and. Because my mom, my dad is dead at that point. My mom was a high school English teacher and. Thank you. And, you know, I'm just like a kid and finishing college, and it's all, you know, I'm like, okay, what. Oh, the great abyss. What's next? I get this letter from the bursar's office. Bursar is like, the person in charge of the money at a fine. At a college. And I'm like, oh, God, what? Wait, like, this can't be good. I open it up and it's. It says below, please find the name of the person who paid for your education. If, you know, you want to write them a thank you note or something. And it just had never. I mean, I was so grateful to be there, obviously, but Yale's like a wealthy institution, and I sort of thought they just have, like, a big, big pool of money that someone stirs with a big stick. And some of it goes one direction and some of it goes another.
Becky
Scrooge duck. Like, isn't everybody diving into the gold coins.
Bellamy Young
In one thing with you? But it wasn't. It was a man named Dr. Richard Light, and he lived in Kalamazoo. He had been a surgeon and a cartographer and a pilot, and it was. Had gone to school there before me, a long time before me. And. And I just. I mean, I just stood straight still because he didn't know me. He changed my whole life. Like, he opened the world to me. He opened my mind and I got a national tour straight out of college, and we actually played Kalamazoo because it wasn't the best national tour. And. And I met him. He was 93 when I met him, and I got to, like, like, hug him, and he came to the show, and I, like, vowed that if I ever could, I would try and do that for somebody. And scandal let me do that for somebody, too. So now, like, some I can't pay for. Like, I think he paid for everything. I pay for part of somebody's college every year.
John
Tell me. And his name is literally Dr. Light.
Bellamy Young
Come on. Can you make. I swear I did not make this up. This is 100 the truth. Dr. Richard Light Kalamazoo. Google him.
Becky
That is why we asked this question. We can all be lit up and.
Bellamy Young
Grateful because we have. We're all blessed in so many ways that we don't even think to wonder about. You know, I was just, like, happy enough to be a college, but it was like a human. I was there because a human helped me be there. I don't know. It just. He just. He's always in my heart.
John
Okay, that one will stick with us as well, my friend. Thank you for that. As we start to round out, we have kind of a tradition. We ask for a one. One good thing that you can. Audience today that could be, like, a secret to success. It could tie to this or not. It's a good habit. It's a mantra. What you got?
Bellamy Young
I love that you asked people this. And so I was like, you know, I've been thinking about this because I try and prepare. I always try to be prepared. But it. What I kept coming back to, which will. Okay, I'm just gonna say it. Oh, my God. The buildup. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Like, I tried to. I always try to be prepared, and I try to. You know, I'm the daughter of an English teacher, and I want to do it right. And so I think for a long time, I thought if you ask a question, they'd know you weren't prepared or you didn't know everything. There's, like, so few subjects that are finite enough to know everything about anyway, but you can never know anybody else's experience or their feelings about us, even if they're. Even if the subject is finite. But. So I think that's. That's what I just. As I was thinking, because I was. I've been so looking forward to coming on your podcast. I knew that was a question, and I. That's what I just kept coming back to, like, don't assume anything. Always be like, lead with curiosity. Don't ever be afraid to ask a question because you're going to get such more wonderful information than you think you already know. So that. And floss. Floss, obviously. Floss your teeth. It's important. Just floss.
Becky
Okay. Philosophical and practical. We're getting to the biological, which is so good. I do think curiosity yields compassion. Curiosity yields deeper connection. It's a part of our evolution as humans. And I just think curiosity is so kind. It is so kind. And people love to talk about themselves. They love to tell their story. So why not just ask and see what would happen? And also, John, like, Mellie knows our podcast. Can we, like, pinch ourselves with that too? Like, oh, my gosh, I know. Okay. But practically speaking, we really want people to go and check out this new podcast series. We are huge proponents of ethical storytelling, of allowing agency for people to tell their own story. So we're definitely going to link the podcast series in the episodes description. Everyone can subscribe and join you on this journey, but also tell us how they can connect with Care or keep up with the work you're doing.
Bellamy Young
Tell us. Oh, my goodness. Well, follow CARE on all the platforms because that's. They do a great job of storytelling and small bite size, so we can always keep up with what's going on. You can, of course, go to care.org seeleads to find out more about the podcast and sign up for their newsletter so they can, you know, send you information when you need it, donate if you want it, if you can, you know, do all the things, be a part of. Be a part of the love. I really do think it's. You know, we almost called the podcast when we care because I think that's the bottom line. When we care, like, change is possible. So just become. Be a part of it or be a part of change and caring in any way you can or are drawn to.
John
I think we're here for the spin off already. I mean, let's go.
Becky
I'm like, let's do it, Bellamy.
John
I mean, you've made us laugh. Like, we're literally crying, holding back tears over here. You're amazing. Thank you for being part of this. Thank you. Care for having the vision to say yes whenever you have an incredible donor supporter, believer.
Becky
Yes.
John
Comes in with an idea, too. This is the kind of evolved way that we show up for our missions to spread our stories like you're doing it. So thank you, my friend.
Becky
What a media scales impact. Meet. The more we share these stories, the more people find us. And I just hope if this has affected you in some way, listener, go, go do something about it. Like if you're not going to follow, care or go check that out. I totally think you should and I think you should listen to this podcast series. Do something kind for somebody. Like, let's watch this ripple. Keep going and let's not wait for other people to start it. Like, let's be the change. Let's go, Bellamy. Keep rocking this lifetime, you guys.
Bellamy Young
I'm so grateful. I'm a fan. Right back. Thank you for having me on. Thank you for what? 600 and how many 600 watt that makes such a difference. I'm so grateful. So thank you for having me on.
John
It's such an honor.
Becky
You're amazing. Every week We Are For Good podcast listeners, friends and community members reach out to us for both recommendations and introductions to people, products and services to help them take their nonprofit mission further. And you know what? We love it.
John
It totally this community is fueled by the support of Value Line partners who've invested in making this community and content accessible for all. And they just happen to be powered by really good humans too.
Becky
So we want to give a shout out to We Are For Good's partners, Donor Doc, RKD Group and Virtuous, and we hope you'll check them out. We deeply believe in their progressive tech tools and offerings that are truly powering a more generous world.
John
So reach out to them directly. And if you do mention We Are For Good sent you, you'll get that red carpet treatment or head over to weareforgood.com refer to learn more or you can even click the link in today's episode description.
We Are For Good Podcast - Episode 608 Summary
Title: A Convo with Bellamy Young: Storytelling Hope + Empowerment with CARE
Release Date: March 10, 2025
Hosts: Jon McCoy, CFRE and Becky Endicott, CFRE
Guest: Bellamy Young, Actress and CARE Ambassador
In Episode 608 of the We Are For Good Podcast, hosts Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott welcome Bellamy Young, renowned for her roles in Scandal, Prodigal Son, and Promised Land, as a special guest and ambassador for CARE. The episode delves into Bellamy’s journey with CARE, her passion for storytelling, and the profound impact of empowerment initiatives globally.
Formative Experiences: Bellamy shares her upbringing in Asheville, North Carolina, highlighting her time in foster care and subsequent adoption. Reflecting on her parents' efforts to provide her with opportunities based on inaccurate information about her biological parents, Bellamy expresses immense gratitude for the life she has built.
Bellamy Young [02:31]: “I feel so grateful. You know, that whole new adage of you never work a day in your life if you love what you do...”
Becoming an Advocate: Bellamy discusses her role as a non-confrontational individual until her acting role in Scandal inspired her to engage more deeply with societal issues. This shift led her to understand the importance of active participation in democracy and inspired her advocacy work.
Bellamy Young [03:50]: “That job really made me understand that democracy's a verb, that life requires participation...”
History and Mission of CARE: Bellamy provides an overview of CARE's origins post-World War II with the creation of the CARE package. She emphasizes the organization's commitment to empowering local communities by addressing critical needs such as healthcare, nutrition, clean water, and protection for women and girls.
Bellamy Young [05:27]: “From that, a whole organization has grown. They go into a local community, assess what need might be around by asking the people who live there...”
Focus on Women and Girls: Highlighting CARE's strategic focus on uplifting women and girls, Bellamy explains how empowering females leads to widespread community and regional transformations.
Bellamy Young [07:09]: “They focus on women and girls because... when you lift up women and girls, they bring their families and their communities with them.”
Inception and Motivation: Bellamy recounts how the COVID-19 pandemic underscored her feelings of isolation, steering her towards seeking hope and connection through storytelling. This realization inspired the creation of the “She Leads with CARE” podcast series, aimed at sharing empowering stories from women around the globe.
Bellamy Young [08:07]: “I felt very isolated, very alone, very disempowered... these stories have always moved me so much...”
Challenges and Execution: Launching a global podcast presented logistical hurdles, including multilingual production and technological constraints. Nevertheless, Bellamy and her team persevered, driven by their commitment to amplify women's voices and stories.
Bellamy Young [08:07]: “There was a big learning curve... but my amazing team at CARE and Sunshine Sacks were equally committed...”
Emotional Impact: Bellamy shares her emotional experiences conducting interviews for the podcast, often moved to tears by the resilience and strength of the women she speaks with.
Bellamy Young [12:01]: “I always, I cried like three times every interview just to just so moved...”
Universal Connections: She emphasizes that, despite diverse backgrounds, all individuals share fundamental human experiences—hope, dreams, struggles, and the desire to connect and heal.
Bellamy Young [12:14]: “We're all just humans and it doesn't matter how different our circumstances may be...”
Gender Equity and Access: Bellamy highlights ongoing challenges in gender equity, particularly in access to financial resources, education, and healthcare for women in various regions.
Bellamy Young [16:31]: “Gender equity is still just... there's just a grievous discrepancy. And that plays out in access to... »
Encouraging Individual Action: She urges individuals to recognize their capacity to make a difference, advocating for small acts of kindness and support as integral to fostering global change.
Bellamy Young [16:31]: “We all do make a difference. And our engagement does make a difference...”
Impact of Generosity: Bellamy recounts a deeply personal story of receiving financial support from Dr. Richard Light, a Yale alumnus who funded her education. This act of kindness profoundly influenced her commitment to giving back and supporting others’ educational pursuits.
Bellamy Young [27:17]: “I was able to go and... I just stood straight still because he didn't know me. He changed my whole life... I pay for part of somebody's college every year.”
Inspiration from Kindness: She reflects on how acts of kindness, big or small, reaffirm her faith in humanity and inspire her to continue her advocacy work.
Bellamy Young [25:47]: “What melts me, like, undoes me, is kindness. It can happen anywhere, anytime...”
Follow Your Heart: Bellamy advises listeners to heed their inner impulses and passions, suggesting that the heart often knows the right path when the mind may be clouded by doubts.
Bellamy Young [21:26]: “I always feel like your heart knows the answer. And there is abundant need in all directions for your gift...”
Embrace Curiosity: Encouraging curiosity, Bellamy emphasizes the importance of asking questions and seeking to understand others' experiences to foster deeper connections and compassion.
Bellamy Young [30:51]: “Don't ever be afraid to ask a question because you're going to get such more wonderful information than you think you already know.”
Bellamy concludes by urging listeners to support CARE by subscribing to the “She Leads with CARE” podcast, donating, advocating, or volunteering. She reinforces the message that collective efforts, no matter how small, can lead to significant global transformations.
Bellamy Young [25:01]: “We can all do it in our own ways. Every moment of every day. It's a choice we have.”
Jon and Becky express their admiration for Bellamy’s dedication and encourage the nonprofit community to engage with CARE’s initiatives and storytelling efforts.
Jon McCoy and Becky Endicott extend their heartfelt thanks to Bellamy Young for her inspiring contributions and emphasize the importance of storytelling in driving philanthropic efforts. They encourage listeners to participate in CARE’s mission and continue fostering a community of generosity and impact.
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