The Rich Conversations Podcast has evolved a lot since its beginning. I started it in 2019. I had lived in Chicago for over 10 years and had my own experience and relationship with the city. But what about others? And how did our experiences overlap and differ? I met up with peers around the city to find out. We typically met at coffee shops or restaurants. I brought microphones and we’d have conversations. Afterwards, we often felt both energized and healed. There was just something special about being present and listening with another person.

When the COVID-19 Pandemic happened, I could no longer record in-person in public spaces. Instead, I recorded on Zoom with guests. This is when I implemented video into the podcast. A whole new world of possibilities was introduced. If I could use the internet, I could have conversations with anyone! I reached out to people in art and science fields all over the world. I pursued my curiosity and continue to.

The Rich Conversations Podcast is a way for me to connect with others and also document my own journey. With over 400 released episodes, we’re not at the beginning. We’re not at the ending. We’re just on a journey. I invite you to be a part of it.

I’ve had so much fun meeting people from all over the world. I’ve learned so much from pursuing my curiosity about different subjects. I think others might find value in it too. So this book is an attempt to share that knowledge in a more direct and digestible way than longform conversations in the podcast format. The material in this book was curated from previously made clips on YouTube. We transcribed them and (hopefully) presented them in a way that’s easy to understand. These are my peers doing awesome things in the world. These are my heroes. I’m so proud to share this with you. It felt like putting together a Dream Team roster. These are scientific curiosities.